Retractable window regulator handle assembly



Nov. 4, 1969 c. H. SCHAMEL 3,475,936

RETRACTABLE WINDOW REGULATOR HANDLE ASSEMBLY Filed June 1968 2Sheets-Sheet 1 IIJVENTOR.

( y a 56mm a: BY awfaww ATTORNEY Nov. 4, 1969 c. H. SCHAMEL 3,475,986

RETRACTABLE WINDOW REGULATOR HANDLE ASSEMBLY filed June 1968 2Sheets-Sheet 2 1 )M'VENTOR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,475,986 RETRACTABLE WINDOW REGULATORHANDLE ASSEMBLY Clyde H. Schamel, Royal Oak, Mich., assignor to GeneralMotors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed June6, 1968, Ser. No. 734,943

Int. Cl. Gg 1/02 US. Cl. 74-547 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Thisinvention relates generally to vehicle body window regulator handles andmore particularly to a driving arrangement interconnecting a windowregulator handle and a window regulator mechanism.

Current production window regulator handles are of the low profile typewhich lie closely adjacent the body interior trim panel. The decrease inmanipulative space between the handle and the trim panel can result indifficulty in rotating the handle to operate the window regulatormechanism.

This invention provides a driving arrangement for window regulatorhandles of the low profile type which normally stores the handleadjacent the body panel but which moves the handle outwardly from thepanel upon initial limited rotation of the handle in either direction.The driving arrangementincludes cooperating cam surfaces on the handleand on the window regulator mechanism which coact to move the handleoutwardly from the panel and the window regulator mechanism to anextended position against the action of a biasing spring upon limitedrotation of the handle. Cooperating drive surfaces thereafter establisha driving connection between the window regulator mechanism and thehandle to operate the mechanism upon further handle rotation. As soon asrotation of the handle ceases, the biasing spring returns the handle toits stored position adjacent the body panel.

One object of this invention is to provide a driving arrangement betweena window regulator handle and a window regulator mechanism for movingthe handle outwardly from a position adjacent a vehicle body panel uponlimited rotation of the handle in either direction to thereby providemore manipulative space between the handle and the body panel.

Another object is to provide such a driving arrangement which isnormally operative to bias the handle to the position adjacent the bodypanel and includes a cam ramp and'follower arrangement on the handle andthe Window regulator mechanism to move the handle outwardly of themechanism and the panel upon initial limited rotation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a driving arrangementbetween a window regulator handle and a window regulator mechanism whichincludes cooperating cam ramp surfaces on the handle and on themechanism operative to move the handle axially outwardly of themechanism upon limited handle rotation and which further includes matingdrive surfaces cooperative upon further handle rotation to establish adriving connection between the handle and the mechanism.

ICC

These and further features and objects of this invention will becomereadily apparent upon reference to the following detailed description ofthe annexed drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a partially broken away plan view of a window regulatorhandle embodying a driving arrangement according to this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken generally on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken generally on the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a partial sectional view taken generally on line 4-4 ofFIGURE 1, showing the handle in stored position;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4, showing handle extended to useposition; and

FIGURE 6 is an exploded perspective view of the handle.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, a window regulator handle 10mounts a conventional freely rotatable resilient manual knob 12 at oneend thereof and includes a hub 14 at the other end. Handle 10 is locatedon one side of a vehicle body trim panel 16 and drives the clutch of aconventional window regulator mechanism 18 located on the other side ofthe panel 16, as shown in FIGURE 2.

The handle 10 and mechanism 18 are interconnected by a drivingarrangement according to this invention, shown in FIGURES 2 through 6.The hub 14 includes a central aperture 20 and a pair of likesemi-cylindrical collars 22 separated by axially extending slots 24spaced radially from the aperture. Each collar 22 includes a pair oflike inclined or cam ramp surfaces 26 which extend axially andcircumferentially from slots 24 and intersect axially extendinggenerally parallel drive surfaces 28. The drive surfaces 28 merge intointersecting inclined cam ramp surfaces 29 and define therewith a camfollower or finger 30. The cam followers 30 thus formed arediametrically opposed to each other. Adjacent cam ramp surfaces 26 oneach collar 22 can thus be described as diverging from junctures atslots 24. The inclination of surfaces 26 and 29 is identical. Aplurality of circumferentially spaced projections 32 are formed on theinner surface of hub 14., just inwardly from the periphery thereof.

As best shown in FIGURE 6, a frustoconical spring retainer 34 includes aflat peripheral flange 36 and a pair of arcuate slots 38 separated by apair of webs 40 which are joined to a flat circular base 42 having acentral aperture 44. The driving arrangement further includes an annularmounting ring 46 having a cylindrical central collar 48, a helicalcompression spring 50, and an annular retaining ring 52.

The clutch of the window regulator mechanism includes an input shaft 54splined at 56. A cam member on shaft 58 includes a partially splinedbore 60 for receiving shaft 54. Diametrically opposed pairs of inclinedor cam ramp surfaces 62, identical to collar cam ramp surfaces 26, areformed externally on cam member 58. Both pairs of surfaces 62 divergecircumferentially and axially from an apex or juncture 64 and intersectgenerally parallel pairs of axially extending drive surfaces 66. Theadjacent drive surfaces of each pair merge into intersecting inclinedcam ramp surfaces 69 and define therewith a cam follower or finger 68.The cam followers 68 thus formed are diametrically opposed to eachother. The inclination of surfaces 62 and 69 are identical to theinclination of surfaces 26 and 29. The apertured axially outer end ofcam member 58 includes a pilot flange 70.

Referring now to FIGURES 2, 3, and 6, the components of the drivingarrangement are assembled as follows. Retainer 34 is mounted on cammember 58 by fitting pilot flange 70 within aperture 44. The collars 22of handle are then inserted within slots 38, as webs 40 fit within slot24, until the projections 32 seat on the flange 36 of the retainer.Handle 10 and cam member 58 are thus circumferentially oriented as shownin FIG- URE 4, so that each pair of cam ramp surfaces 29 of a follower30 seat on a pair of cam ramp surfaces 62 and the cam followers 68register with slots 24. Thus the cam followers 30 and 68 are rotatablyspaced 90 from each other. The mounting ring 46 is then assembled intoengagement with flange 36 of the retainer and the periphery of hub 14.

Spring 50 is inserted between collars 22 and 48 into engagement with theretainer 34. Retainer ring 52 is inserted over member 58, compressingspring 50 until the ring abuts the ends of collars 22. Tabs 78 providedon the ends of collars 22 are then bent over to secure the ring 52 tothe collars.

The cam member 58 is then fitted over the input shaft 54 to seat the endof the shaft on flange 70 and mate the splined portions of the cammember and shaft. The retainer 46 seats on the trim panel 16 around anopening 80 therein which receives the driving arrangement. As isconventional, window regulator mechanism 18 has been mounted in the doorbefore it is trimmed. A bolt 76 secures cam member 58 to shaft 54. Thehead of the bolt fits within aperture 20 and also confines the base 42of the retainer on flange 70.

The operation of the driving arrangement will now be described withreference to FIGURES 1, 3, 4, and 5. When it is desired to operate thewindow regulator mechanism l8, knob 12 is grasped and handle 10 isrotated in either direction. Operation in either direction is the same.Upon handle rotation counter-clockwise, for example, followers 30 and 68move follower surfaces 29 and 69 along the respective cam ramp surfaces62 and 26 until drive surfaces 28 and 66 engage, as shown in FIGURE 5.This moves handle 10 axially outwardly of regulator clutch 18 and panel16 to a more convenient extended use posi tion to permit the operatormore manipulative space. This motion also compresses spring 50 betweenretainers 34 and 52. Upon further rotation, handle 10 rotatably drivesthe regulator clutch 18 through fingers 30 and 68.

Upon release of knob 12, spring 50 forces retainers 34 and 52 apart andmoves followers 30 and 68 back along cam ramp surfaces 62 and 26 torealignment with the junctures of the cam ramp surfaces, the apexes 66and slots 24. This rotates and retracts the handle back to the FIGURE 4stored position adjacent panel 16.

Thus, this invention provides a cam and follower interconnection betweena driven window regulator clutch input shaft and an operating handlewhich automatically extends the handle outwardly from a stored positionadjacent a trim panel to a use position spaced from the panel uponrotation of the handle in either direction, whereupon a drivingengagement is established for rotating the driven shaft upon furtherhandle rotation, and which automatically retracts the handle to storedposition when the handle is released.

It is readily apparent that other cam configurations having more orfewer or different followers and cam ramp surfaces could be utilized toelfect the same result as that shown in the illustrative embodiment.These and other modifications are contemplated within the scope of thisinvention.

I claim:

1. A driving arrangement for interconnecting the input shaft member of awindow regulator mechanism and a manually operable handle membercomprising, in combination: means on one of the members providing a pairof cam ramp surfaces diverging from a common juncture, a cam follower onthe other member, means biasing the cam follower into engagement withthe cam ramp surfaces to normally maintain the cam follower in axialalignment with the common juncture of the cam ramp surfaces, manualrotation of the handle in one direction moving the cam follower alongone of the cam ramp surfaces to cam the handle member outwardly relativeto the shaft member, and cooperating abutments on the handle member andon'the shaft member engageable with each other upon limited rotation ofthe handle to effect a driving connection between the handle and shaftmembers, the biasing means moving the handle member in the oppositerotative direction upon release thereof to move the cam follower alongthe one cam ramp surface into realignment with the juncture of the camramp surfaces to thereby move the handle member inwardly of the shaftmember.

2. A driving arrangement for interconnecting the input shaft of a windowregulator mechanism and a manually operable handle comprising, incombination: means on the input shaft providing a pair of cam rampsurfaces diverging from a common juncture, means on the handle providinga pair of cam ramp surfaces diverging from a common juncture and matingwith the first cam ramp sur-' faces, means biasing the mating pairs ofcam ramp surfaces into engagement with each other to normally maintainthe common junctures of the surfaces in axial alignment, manual rotationof the handle in one direction moving one of the handle cam rampsurfaces along one of the shaft cam ramp surfaces to cam the handleoutwardly relative to the shaft, and cooperating abutments on the handleand on the shaft engageable with each other upon limited rotation of thehandle to effect a driving connection between the handle and the shaft,the biasing means moving the handle in the opposite rotative directionupon release thereof to move the one handle cam ramp surface along theone shaft cam ramp surface and realign the common junctures to therebymove the handle inwardly of the shaft.

3. A driving arrangement for interconnecting the input shaft member of awindow regulator mechanism and a manually operable handle membercomprising, in combination: means on each member providing a pair of camramp surfaces diverging from a common juncture, a cam follower on eachmember, means biasing the cam follower of one member into engagementwith the pair of cam ramp surfaces of the other member to normallymaintain the cam follower of each member in axial alignment with thecommon juncture of the cam ramp surfaces of the other member, manualrotation of the handle member in one direction moving each cam followeralong a respective cam ramp surface of the other member to cam thehandle member outwardly relative to the shaft member, and cooperatingabutments on the handle member and on the shaft member engageable witheach other upon limited rotation of the handle member to effect adriving connection between the handle and shaft members, the biasingmeans moving the handle member in the opposite rotative direction uponrelease thereof to move each cam follower along its respective cam rampsurface into realignment with the junctures of the cam ramp surfaces tothereby move the handle member inwardly of the shaft member.

4. In a vehicle body having a window regulator mechanism input membermounted on one side of a body panel and adapted to be rotatably drivenby a manually operable handle member located on the other side of thepanel, a driving arrangement interconnecting the handle and inputmembers comprising in combination:

a cylindrical collar mounted on one member,

a cylindrical shaft mounted on the other memberand coaxially telescopedwithin the collar, two diametrically opposed pairs of cam ramp surfacesformed on the shaft outer surface, each pair diverging from a commonjuncture,

two diametrically opposed pairs of cam ramp surfaces formed on thecollar inner surface, each pair diverging from a common juncture,

two diametrically opposed cam followers formed on each of the collar andshaft, each cam follower defining a pair of axially extending drivesurfaces each intersecting one of the cam ramp surfaces, and

means biasing the shaft axially inwardly of the collar effect a rotarydriving connection between the members, the biasing means disengagingthe drive surfaces and moving the cam followers along the cam rampsurfaces into realignment with the junctures of the cam ramp surfaces tomove the handle member in the opposite rotative direction to the storedposition upon release of the handle member.

References Cited bers are spaced, thus locating the handle member in 10a stored position adjacent the panel,

whereby limited rotation of the handle member in either direction movesthe cam followers of each member along one of the cam ramp surfaces ofthe other member to move the handle member to an ex- 1 tended positionspaced from the panel and engage half of the drive surfaces on thecollar and shaft to UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 ERED C. MATTERN, JR.,Primary Examiner F. D. SHOEMAKER, Assistant Examiner

